Sirius was gone. There was no sign of him anywhere. Harry looked
around cautiously and nothing seemed to change.
"Where is he?" Harry's voice echoed slightly on the empty walls.
The others had followed him into the room.
"It never looked this creepy last year," whispered Renata.
"Not this creepy in any of the years that I ever saw it," said Harry. He walked around the room. By the window there was a single sheet of paper with the words:
YOU'LL NEVER FIND HIM.
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Harry brought the note to the others. "What do you make of it?"
"Trouble can't be starting already. It just can't! Couldn't we just have a normal year for once? Can't we?" asked Hermione, stamping her foot childishly on the last part. "I'm going to see Dumbledore."
"I'm going to see Lupin. Maybe he can help sort this out." Harry, not waiting for or wanting to listen to a response from his friends left the room and continued through the many halls and down the staircases until he reached the ground floor and was outside on the grounds, heading toward Hagrid's hut.
Just yards away from the hut Harry heard footsteps behind him. He glanced back briefly and saw his friends following him. He ignored them and continued on. He rapped on the door. "Professor Lupin! Are you in there? It's me Harry."
The door opened and sure enough, there was Professor Lupin. He saw Harry's face. "What's the matter, Harry?" He glanced up and saw the others coming. Lupin led Harry inside and beckoned the others to follow.
"So what has happened?"
"You haven't by any chance seen Sirius, have you?"
"No, Harry, I haven't, not since last night. Did you check his study?"
"Yes, and no one was there, Professor. But we did find this note there." Harry extracted it from his pocket and handed it to him.
"What do you make of it?" asked Hermione anxiously.
"I don't know, yet. Have you gone to anyone about it?"
"No, just you."
Lupin frowned slightly, looking at the note once more.
"Uncle Remus, can't you make heads or tails of it?" asked Renata.
"No, I'm afraid I can't. We should take this to Dumbledore."
Harry absentmindedly stroked Fang, Hagrid's boarhound; Fang was drooling on Harry's robes. "What about Hagrid?"
Lupin signed in a resigned way, "I guess I had better tell you the truth, I wouldn't tell you anything but the truth of course. No one's heard from Hagrid since mid-August. We don't know where he is or what happened. Only that we can't find him."
"But what about locator spells?"
"We tried and they failed."
Ron and the others paled, "D-does that mean that he's d-"
"No, even if you're dead locator spells should be able to track down your body."
"Then what is it that went wrong?" asked Hermione.
"There are some spells you can use to keep from being detected. And there are certain places that are even out of the range of location spells."
"You mean too far away?"
"No, I mean places where you can't be detected."
Harry paled. "What about Sirius? Couldn't we set some locator spells for him?"
"The spell itself won't be that long but you do need a potion that takes a week to brew at the soonest possible."
"A week!"
"That's the best I can do, kids. I'm sorry about it, really I am."
Reluctantly and more discontented than before, Harry and the others went back to the castle. Harry walked the corridors slowly, letting the others get ahead of him so he would have the chance to think. He didn't get much of a chance to though because as he passed McGonagall's study he heard voices and couldn't keep from creeping over to the door to hear better.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Snape's voice.
"Well, I saw no reason not to come," a new voice asked. It was a girl's voice, young, a bit defiant.
"No reason other than the fact that you're dead? Or haven't you noticed?"
"I did notice as a matter of fact. But I saw no reason not to come. After all a ghost can learn just as well as anyone. I need a place to stay and this is as good as any and since I was supposed to come here this year anyway-classes, you know-it seemed to make the most sense." So it was the ghost Harry had seen sorted the night before.
McGonagall asked, in a tone gentler than Snape's, "But, you can't hold a wand or a quill, or anything."
"I know, but I'd still love to sit in on the classes all the same. I don't really know much."
"I'll leave it to you to decide, Albus," declared Professor McGonagall.
Dumbledore replied, "I see no problem with the situation."
Harry heard chairs scrape and he backed away from the door quickly as several teachers, Dumbledore, and Artemis Smithington's ghost came out.
"Ah, Harry," said Dumbledore, catching Harry by the elbow. "Would you mind leading Artemis here to the Gryffindor common room?"
As the Headmaster and the teachers left Harry and the ghost started on the rest of the way to the Tower.
"Are you from a wizard family or are you a Muggle-born?" inquired Artemis.
"My mum was a Muggle-born but I think my dad was born a wizard."
"You think? Wouldn't you know?"
"No. My parents died when I was young and my Muggle aunt and uncle don't talk about them," Harry said flatly.
Artemis glided in front of him, looking at his face carefully, with a penetrating stare, "You're Harry Potter!"
Harry hadn't realized she had stopped gliding and he walked right through her; it was unpleasant, like being surrounded by ice. "Yeah. I am. What about you, Muggle or wizard parents?"
"Both actually. My mum was a witch and my dad was a Muggle. That's partly why it's not ideal for me to stay around the house. Muggles over the house all the time. So what about the other ghosts here?"
"There's the Fat Friar, he's the Hufflepuff ghost and he seems very nice. Nearly-Headless-Nick is the Gryffindor ghost, he's nice too, you'll like him. Now-"
"Nearly-Headless? How does that work?"
"Like this," there was a voice behind them and they turned. Nearly- Headless-Nick was behind them. He pulled on his ear and his head swung out as if it were on a hinge.
"Nick, this is.er-"
"Artemis Smithington," introduced the ghost.
Nick swung his head back upright. "I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington."
"So what happened to your neck?"
"I was hit forty-two times in the neck with a blunt axe."
"I was hit by a truck."
"So, are you staying around?"
"Yes, I'm going to be taking classes."
"I must be going," Nick said, "I promised to meet the Grey Lady this morning. Goodbye, Harry, Artemis." He glided off.
"Friendly. What about the others?"
"The Bloody Baron doesn't really talk ever. I've never spoken to the Grey Lady. Professor Binns, the History of Magic teacher is a ghost, but to be frank, I'm not sure he that knows he's dead. There's Moaning Myrtle, too. She haunts the girls' bathroom on the second floor."
"Why?"
"She died in there. But she doesn't like that she's dead and so she just sits there sulking."
"How exactly would you know this?"
"I've talked to her."
"When she comes out of the bathroom?"
"Not exactly. Here's the portrait. You could just glide through, of course, but I can't. Grouchy Ghosts."
"Excuse me?" asked Artemis.
"It's the password." The portrait swung open admitting them to the tower.
Artemis floated off to talk to the other students and Harry gladly joined his friends.
"What was all that about?"
Harry summarized his trip back to the Tower.
"A ghost student?"
"Yeah."
At dinner that night Seamus said, "So, Harry, what's Sirius like?"
"How do you mean?"
"We heard he was your godfather. I bet he'll be great at teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."
"He's certainly had enough practice." Harry thought back to the Dementors, and everything else Sirius had been through.
"That's right," agreed Ron.
"So he won't be another Lockhart?"
"Certainly not!"
"Alright. Just asking."
The next morning Harry woke so late that there was no one in the dorm. He didn't mind. He wasn't in the mood to talk to people. He wanted the day to be over. He groaned. Already he wanted the day over and it hadn't even begun yet!
He went downstairs to the common room. Ron and Hermione were waiting.
"Where's Renata?"
"Still asleep, I think," answered Hermione.
"I wanted to know if she knew when Quiditch tryouts were this year," said Harry.
"Second or third week of September would be my guess," came a voice from the girls' staircase.
"Oh. Morning, Renata," Harry greeted.
"Same to the three of you."
"Definitely a rebuilding year for our team. We've got a decent Seeker who has been on the team six years; A Keeper who has been playing on a team for five years; and that's about it."
"You're forgetting some people."
"Like who?" asked Harry. "Our other five players left, they graduated."
"Claire will play. You've seen her, she's good," Renata pointed out.
"And Ginny was practicing for weeks this summer," added Ron.
"She's interested in flying?" asked Harry.
"Didn't you know?"
"No."
"Come on let's go downstairs. I'm hungry."
Between mouthfuls of oatmeal Ron suggested, "I think we should talk to Lupin today, you know, see about that potion."
"You're right. If it'll take a week to brew we might as well start as soon as possible."
"You don't think it's possible that Sirius could still be in the castle somewhere, do you?" asked Harry as they crossed the grounds.
"Probably not. I dunno. Where could he possibly be? I wonder if Dumbledore knows he's gone."
"How can he?" asked Hermione.
"How can he not?" challenged Ron.
"Stop bickering. Professor Lupin!" Harry rapped on the door. "Professor!"
The door opened.
"Professor, we want the list of ingredients os we can find Sirius."
Harry peered into the room and saw that there was someone there besides Lupin.
"Er-hello, Professor Snape," said Harry.
The hooknose, sallow skinned, greasy haired potions master, Professor Snape, answered, "Just bringing his medication."
Harry saw the smoking goblet.
Snape stood up, "I'll be leaving. Potter, stay away from my office."
Harry muttered, "Gladly."
Harry sat down at the table and Ron, Hermione, and Renata followed him. "Professor, we need a list of the ingredients for that potion."
"But you won't be able to get them all yourself."
"We'll manage."
"No, you'll never find the powdered hens' teeth on your own. They're extremely rare. I can find you some though." He got some parchment and began to make a list of ingredients, which he reluctantly turned over to the students. "Be careful, and don't get caught. This spell is restricted."
"We won't. Thank you."
"Good luck."
Gratefully, they took the parchment and went back to Gryffindor Tower as quickly as they could. They settled in a corner to read their list.
"This doesn't look too difficult, but I don't believe we can really start until tomorrow," Hermione said. "Some of these things we can get from our basic potions ingredient packs, but others have to come from the student supply cupboard and we can't go there until classes start."
"Well then, I guess we better make the best start we can now. Shouldn't we? We'll get the first ingredients ready here and I suppose tomorrow we can move them to the same place as last time."
"We better not get caught there," said Ron uncomfortably.
"Don't worry, we never really did get caught before, and we'll go in and out under my invisibility cloak."
"Where exactly?" asked Renata.
"We'll tell you later."
"I suggest we get started," announced Hermione.
"You're right."
Hermione ran upstairs for her potions kit. They began preparing ingredients at one of the tables. Holding sharp knives to slice and dice the caterpillar legs and assorted roots and such, no one cared to disturb them. At last they had finished what they could for the time. They used scouring charms to clean the grime out from beneath their nails. Hermione brought down an old cauldron and they swept the ingredients off the table and into it.
"Tomorrow we'll add the other ingredients and let it simmer."
Neville, passing by, came to inquire about what they were doing.
"Oh, this is a new potion I'm working on. Extra credit, you know," beamed Hermione.
When Neville was out of earshot, Ron sniggered. "Nice acting, Hermione. You can lie like a pro now."
"I wouldn't dream of it. I only lied to Neville because I couldn't very well tell him the truth."
At breakfast the next day they received their schedules.
"We start with McGonagall and then-"
"Ugh, we've got Snape today and it's still double with the Slytherins," groaned Ron.
Harry looked disgusted, "The torture continues: Divination."
"Really not a good day for us?" chirped Renata.
"Us? At least you don't have to go hear some batty old witch predict your death."
"Actually, take a look at my schedule and you'll see that you are wrong."
Harry looked at her schedule. "Huh?"
"I switched classes. Some stuff-like mind reading-isn't that bad and I wanted to see how much you two were over exaggerating on how bad the class is," Renata answered.
"Renata, if you're smart you'll transfer out of there like I did," Hermione told her. "By the way, we have to remember to get the rest of those potions ingredients from class today," reminded them as they entered Professor McGonagall's room.
Professor McGonagall stood there, waiting; she did not look pleased. "Settle down." The look in her eyes told them that she wanted immediate silence. "This year we will be doing further studies of human transfiguration; this is extremely difficult and can have horrifying results when not done right so please pay close attention at all times."
She went on to explain the basics and they took page after page of notes before, at last, Professor McGonagall gave them a task. They were told to transfigure the head of the person next to them into a cat. Harry was paired with Ron, Renata was with Seamus, Hermione was paired with Neville, and so the list went on.
Hermione was the only one who fully grasped the concept and was able to perform the spell flawlessly, but she ended up with rabbit ears because of Neville and somehow a dog tail. It took Professor McGonagall a while to sort everyone out (Harry had ended up with an orange beard though they weren't sure how). Renata had laughed and said that orange wasn't his color though she thought the beard suited him, but this interrupted her spell and unfortunately Seamus ended up with horns. It took so long for Professor McGonagall to sort things out that they missed morning break and they were all late for potions.
Snape was extremely nasty, even though they explained it wasn't their fault they were late.
"We had to wait for Professor McGonagall to fix our faces!"
"Well, then you should have been more careful about not messing them up to begin with. Twenty points from Gryffindor for everyone's tardiness."
"But that's not fair!"
"Twenty-five points. Do you wish to make it more? Take out your books!"
The class followed instructions. The Gryffindors were gloomy and the Slytherins were thoroughly enjoying the Gryffindors' misery. Harry anxiously glanced back and forward between Snape and Hermione.
Hermione was taking the remaining ingredients they needed from the student supply cupboard while Harry made a diversion. He had used a banishing charm on Crabbe's cauldron in order to make it crash into Malfoy's. Deliberately causing trouble in Snape's class was like tickling a sleeping dragon, but it was necessary. They had every right to take things from the student supply cupboard, but they didn't want Snape snooping around and asking questions. Unfortunately, Snape had the mess with the cauldrons cleaned up before Hermione was done and now he was glaring at Harry. Though Snape had no way to prove Harry was responsible, Harry was worried because Hermione was going to get caught if something didn't keep Snape's attention diverted. Renata and Ron acted before he did, though.
"Professor Snape, I think there's too much Unicorn hair in Ron's potion."
"There is not!" cried Ron.
"Yes there is."
"No there's not!"
"Yes there is. Professor, don't you think Weasly's potion is too thin?"
Snape came over to inspect the potions. "Yes, Weasly, add an eagle feather."
"I was right!" crowed Renata.
"Delano, yours is too thick. Add another unicorn hair.
By then Hermione had finished and was smiling gratefully at her friends. Harry was glad when class was over.
"You got it all?"
"Yeah. We better bring this stuff back up to Gryffindor Tower. We'll take care of it later but I don't want it all in my pockets," Hermione said.
They all hustled up to Gryffindor tower. Hermione went to the girls' dormitory to put away the ingredients.
Harry turned to Renata and Ron, "That was quick thinking back there."
"Distraction is my middle name," smiled Renata.
Hermione came back down. "All set. Let's go."
They walked down to the Great Hall. "So tonight we can work on the potion. Should we bother with that cloak of yours, Harry?" asked Renata as they sat down to eat.
"It's up to you guys, I guess."
"I'd be fine without it and so would Renata, but you two should probably wear it. Wouldn't want to get in trouble right?" asked Hermione, with a sly grin.
"I guess you're right."
"Where are we going?" asked Renata.
"We'll tell you later."
"All right. So where is the North Tower? I've never been up there."
"It takes forever to get up there," said Ron.
"We should probably leave now, then," Renata said all too cheerfully.
"I don't know why you say it like that," Harry and Hermione said simultaneously.
"Let's go." Hermione walked with them for as far as their paths were the same then she turned for her Arithmacy class.
The other three continued on to the North Tower. Eventually they reached the landing.
Renata looked around. "I don't see anymore stairs."
Harry jabbed his finger into the ceiling above them. A silvery rope ladder descended from the trap door. "After you," he said with mock courtesy, doing a half bow.
Renata grinned and climbed the ladder with ease. Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors followed. The room smelled strongly of perfumes and was stifling hot, with the fireplace burning. A woman with eyes largely magnified by her glasses welcomed them and invited them to settle into the armchairs and poufs arranged around the tables.
"Today we shall return once more to unveiling the mysteries of the future. You," she pointed dramatically to Harry, "will face great difficulties this year, before the year is out you will come to me for counsel."
Harry whispered to Ron, "Fat chance. I don't want to see her any more often than I have to."
Professor Trelawny went on to proclaim that the new student in their midst had a very strong aura. "My dear, you could become great you know, with extra practice. I sense a powerful aura about you."
"Gosh, too bad I don't have any time. Really. Such a pity. Quiditch practice, you know," Renata sardonically replied.
"Yes, I did know that. I wish I weren't right. Class, take out your books and turn to page forty-five. We will be learning how to put ourselves into trances that allow us to see the future. Now if you'll follow along." She led them through the steps that would allow them to be put into trances that would let them see the future.
"Calm yourself. Breathe slowly. When I ring this bell go into your trances. To become fully engrossed in what will be, you must recite the verses on page forty-five, close your eyes and continue chanting them. Don't forget to breathe slowly and deeply. Rotate your neck three times clockwise with one hand on each end of your wand. Ready?" Professor Trelawny rang the little bell on her desk.
Harry felt a little silly but he closed his eyes and chanted with the rest of them. Inside his mind it seemed there was blackness (although that was probably because his eyes were closed) and there was a humming in his head (possibly from the other students chanting). Soon it became clear that this wasn't the case. The humming grew stronger. The blackness cleared until it was simply darkness.
It lightened further still to show four shadowy figures. One was walking away, another lay sprawled on the grass, and the remaining two figures leaned over the one on the grass. The one walking away was going toward some trees. One of the kneeling figures stood up and was following the one walking away; it grew darker again. The darkness became total and the humming grew back into being the sound of voices. When Harry snapped his eyes open once more he was holding his head in pain. Then it was gone, but the questions were not.
"Harry?" muttered Ron.
Harry had shut his eyes again. The scar pain had subsided but he was breathing shallowly.
"Harry?" murmured Renata.
Someone jabbed Harry in the ribs.
Harry looked up and found Professor Trelawny staring back at him. "What did you see?"
"Nothing, Professor," he lied.
"Come now, it must have been something."
"It was-er-Gryffindor winning the Quiditch Cup this year."
"Oh," she looked disappointed and moved on to inquire about what the others saw.
"Harry, what was it?" whispered Ron.
"Nothing. Why'd you jab me in the stomach?"
"Yeah right, Harry. What was it?" asked Renata.
Professor Trelawny was coming back near them.
Harry mouthed, "I'll tell you later."
It seemed to take forever for the rest of the class time to pass but at last they had descended down the rope ladder once more and went out into the hallway.
"So what was it?"
"Not now."
"When then?"
"After dinner."
"After dinner we're all working on something, remember?"
"Fine. When we see Hermione."
"What when you see me?" asked Hermione, coming up to the three of them in the hall.
"Harry's going to tell us why he spaced during Divination," Renata replied.
"I didn't space."
"Yes you did."
"No I didn't."
Hermione sighed, "Will someone at least tell me what happened?" She and the others sat down at the table.
Harry looked to make sure no one but the three of them were listening to him. "Alright, I had a vision."
Renata chuckled, "Wasn't that the point of the assignment?"
"Yeah, but this was strange. Did either of you see anything?"
Ron shook his head.
Renata said, "I can't say that I did."
"I thought so," Harry sighed. "It was hard to tell, it was really dark as though it was nighttime where the vision was taking place. There were people. Four of them. One was walking away. One was on the ground; the other two were leaning over the one on the ground. Then one of them got up and followed the person walking away."
"What did the place look like?"
"I don't know! It was dark, grassy."
"Where were they going? The ones who started walking, that is."
"Toward some trees. Maybe a-a forest!"
"This forest?"
"I don't know!"
"Why not?"
"I just don't!"
Ginny, sitting nearby, heard the outburst from Harry. "What don't you know, Harry?" she asked, shyly.
"Er-"
"He doesn't know our Transfiguration homework. He wasn't paying attention in class. Were you, Harry?" asked Renata.
"No, I wasn't. Stupid of me, huh?" he grinned at Ginny. "I don't know what was running through my mind."
When Ginny's attention was distracted once more they returned to the conversation.
"So, what do you guys think?" he asked anxiously.
"I dunno."
Hermione shook her head.
"I don't know what to make of it."
"Neither do I," sighed Harry. "Let's go."
Inside the common room they sat by the fire. Harry stared into the flames. At last Hermione said, "We should probably work on that extra credit potions assignment, shouldn't we?"
It took a moment for them to remember what she meant. "Huh? Oh, right."
"I'll get the ingredients," volunteered Hermione.
"Harry shouldn't you get your cloak? It might be cold," Ron said.
"Yeah. I guess I should."
Renata turned to Harry and looked at him with a pointed I-need-to-say- something-to-you expression on her face.
"Ron, could you get it for me?"
"But you might want to put it on upstairs."
"Then I'll be up in just a minute. Okay?"
Hermione and Ron went up separate staircases.
Renata spoke softly, "It wasn't just the vision today, was it?"
Harry didn't answer.
"Your scar hurt, didn't it? After the vision."
He spoke quietly, "Yeah.it did. But.how did you know?"
"I'm not sure." She smiled weakly. "It might have something to do with the fact that you grabbed your forehead but somehow I just knew, it's his scar again. I don't know how I knew, but I did. Right before you put your hand on your forehead, I knew."
"Don't say anything to the others. 'Kay?" he said gruffly.
"I won't. Go upstairs, Ron's waiting."
Harry turned and went up the staircase.
"What took so long?" complained an invisible Ron.
"Sorry. I was talking."
"Come on. Get under the cloak."
"I can't." He laughed. "I can't see you!"
"Right." Ron flipped back the hood of the cloak so it appeared that his head was suspended in midair.
"That's creepy, Ron. That's just creepy." Harry joined Ron under the cloak.
Hermione and Renata were waiting downstairs. "We're here," whispered Harry.
Hermione did her best to pass them the cauldron to hide under the cloak.
Renata whispered to Hermione, "Shouldn't we be invisible, too?"
"No, we don't have to be. Just them."
The four of them left Gryffindor Tower and didn't stop until they had reached their destination on the second floor.
"What are we doing here?" asked Renata. "We aren't going to the Chamber again, are we?"
"No. We're just going to use one of the stalls to work in. Come on."
They went inside and Harry and Ron whipped off the cloak quickly. Then, they heard voices. They backed up against the door, fumbling with the knob.
"Where is he?" Harry's voice echoed slightly on the empty walls.
The others had followed him into the room.
"It never looked this creepy last year," whispered Renata.
"Not this creepy in any of the years that I ever saw it," said Harry. He walked around the room. By the window there was a single sheet of paper with the words:
YOU'LL NEVER FIND HIM.
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Harry brought the note to the others. "What do you make of it?"
"Trouble can't be starting already. It just can't! Couldn't we just have a normal year for once? Can't we?" asked Hermione, stamping her foot childishly on the last part. "I'm going to see Dumbledore."
"I'm going to see Lupin. Maybe he can help sort this out." Harry, not waiting for or wanting to listen to a response from his friends left the room and continued through the many halls and down the staircases until he reached the ground floor and was outside on the grounds, heading toward Hagrid's hut.
Just yards away from the hut Harry heard footsteps behind him. He glanced back briefly and saw his friends following him. He ignored them and continued on. He rapped on the door. "Professor Lupin! Are you in there? It's me Harry."
The door opened and sure enough, there was Professor Lupin. He saw Harry's face. "What's the matter, Harry?" He glanced up and saw the others coming. Lupin led Harry inside and beckoned the others to follow.
"So what has happened?"
"You haven't by any chance seen Sirius, have you?"
"No, Harry, I haven't, not since last night. Did you check his study?"
"Yes, and no one was there, Professor. But we did find this note there." Harry extracted it from his pocket and handed it to him.
"What do you make of it?" asked Hermione anxiously.
"I don't know, yet. Have you gone to anyone about it?"
"No, just you."
Lupin frowned slightly, looking at the note once more.
"Uncle Remus, can't you make heads or tails of it?" asked Renata.
"No, I'm afraid I can't. We should take this to Dumbledore."
Harry absentmindedly stroked Fang, Hagrid's boarhound; Fang was drooling on Harry's robes. "What about Hagrid?"
Lupin signed in a resigned way, "I guess I had better tell you the truth, I wouldn't tell you anything but the truth of course. No one's heard from Hagrid since mid-August. We don't know where he is or what happened. Only that we can't find him."
"But what about locator spells?"
"We tried and they failed."
Ron and the others paled, "D-does that mean that he's d-"
"No, even if you're dead locator spells should be able to track down your body."
"Then what is it that went wrong?" asked Hermione.
"There are some spells you can use to keep from being detected. And there are certain places that are even out of the range of location spells."
"You mean too far away?"
"No, I mean places where you can't be detected."
Harry paled. "What about Sirius? Couldn't we set some locator spells for him?"
"The spell itself won't be that long but you do need a potion that takes a week to brew at the soonest possible."
"A week!"
"That's the best I can do, kids. I'm sorry about it, really I am."
Reluctantly and more discontented than before, Harry and the others went back to the castle. Harry walked the corridors slowly, letting the others get ahead of him so he would have the chance to think. He didn't get much of a chance to though because as he passed McGonagall's study he heard voices and couldn't keep from creeping over to the door to hear better.
"What is the meaning of this?" asked Snape's voice.
"Well, I saw no reason not to come," a new voice asked. It was a girl's voice, young, a bit defiant.
"No reason other than the fact that you're dead? Or haven't you noticed?"
"I did notice as a matter of fact. But I saw no reason not to come. After all a ghost can learn just as well as anyone. I need a place to stay and this is as good as any and since I was supposed to come here this year anyway-classes, you know-it seemed to make the most sense." So it was the ghost Harry had seen sorted the night before.
McGonagall asked, in a tone gentler than Snape's, "But, you can't hold a wand or a quill, or anything."
"I know, but I'd still love to sit in on the classes all the same. I don't really know much."
"I'll leave it to you to decide, Albus," declared Professor McGonagall.
Dumbledore replied, "I see no problem with the situation."
Harry heard chairs scrape and he backed away from the door quickly as several teachers, Dumbledore, and Artemis Smithington's ghost came out.
"Ah, Harry," said Dumbledore, catching Harry by the elbow. "Would you mind leading Artemis here to the Gryffindor common room?"
As the Headmaster and the teachers left Harry and the ghost started on the rest of the way to the Tower.
"Are you from a wizard family or are you a Muggle-born?" inquired Artemis.
"My mum was a Muggle-born but I think my dad was born a wizard."
"You think? Wouldn't you know?"
"No. My parents died when I was young and my Muggle aunt and uncle don't talk about them," Harry said flatly.
Artemis glided in front of him, looking at his face carefully, with a penetrating stare, "You're Harry Potter!"
Harry hadn't realized she had stopped gliding and he walked right through her; it was unpleasant, like being surrounded by ice. "Yeah. I am. What about you, Muggle or wizard parents?"
"Both actually. My mum was a witch and my dad was a Muggle. That's partly why it's not ideal for me to stay around the house. Muggles over the house all the time. So what about the other ghosts here?"
"There's the Fat Friar, he's the Hufflepuff ghost and he seems very nice. Nearly-Headless-Nick is the Gryffindor ghost, he's nice too, you'll like him. Now-"
"Nearly-Headless? How does that work?"
"Like this," there was a voice behind them and they turned. Nearly- Headless-Nick was behind them. He pulled on his ear and his head swung out as if it were on a hinge.
"Nick, this is.er-"
"Artemis Smithington," introduced the ghost.
Nick swung his head back upright. "I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington."
"So what happened to your neck?"
"I was hit forty-two times in the neck with a blunt axe."
"I was hit by a truck."
"So, are you staying around?"
"Yes, I'm going to be taking classes."
"I must be going," Nick said, "I promised to meet the Grey Lady this morning. Goodbye, Harry, Artemis." He glided off.
"Friendly. What about the others?"
"The Bloody Baron doesn't really talk ever. I've never spoken to the Grey Lady. Professor Binns, the History of Magic teacher is a ghost, but to be frank, I'm not sure he that knows he's dead. There's Moaning Myrtle, too. She haunts the girls' bathroom on the second floor."
"Why?"
"She died in there. But she doesn't like that she's dead and so she just sits there sulking."
"How exactly would you know this?"
"I've talked to her."
"When she comes out of the bathroom?"
"Not exactly. Here's the portrait. You could just glide through, of course, but I can't. Grouchy Ghosts."
"Excuse me?" asked Artemis.
"It's the password." The portrait swung open admitting them to the tower.
Artemis floated off to talk to the other students and Harry gladly joined his friends.
"What was all that about?"
Harry summarized his trip back to the Tower.
"A ghost student?"
"Yeah."
At dinner that night Seamus said, "So, Harry, what's Sirius like?"
"How do you mean?"
"We heard he was your godfather. I bet he'll be great at teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."
"He's certainly had enough practice." Harry thought back to the Dementors, and everything else Sirius had been through.
"That's right," agreed Ron.
"So he won't be another Lockhart?"
"Certainly not!"
"Alright. Just asking."
The next morning Harry woke so late that there was no one in the dorm. He didn't mind. He wasn't in the mood to talk to people. He wanted the day to be over. He groaned. Already he wanted the day over and it hadn't even begun yet!
He went downstairs to the common room. Ron and Hermione were waiting.
"Where's Renata?"
"Still asleep, I think," answered Hermione.
"I wanted to know if she knew when Quiditch tryouts were this year," said Harry.
"Second or third week of September would be my guess," came a voice from the girls' staircase.
"Oh. Morning, Renata," Harry greeted.
"Same to the three of you."
"Definitely a rebuilding year for our team. We've got a decent Seeker who has been on the team six years; A Keeper who has been playing on a team for five years; and that's about it."
"You're forgetting some people."
"Like who?" asked Harry. "Our other five players left, they graduated."
"Claire will play. You've seen her, she's good," Renata pointed out.
"And Ginny was practicing for weeks this summer," added Ron.
"She's interested in flying?" asked Harry.
"Didn't you know?"
"No."
"Come on let's go downstairs. I'm hungry."
Between mouthfuls of oatmeal Ron suggested, "I think we should talk to Lupin today, you know, see about that potion."
"You're right. If it'll take a week to brew we might as well start as soon as possible."
"You don't think it's possible that Sirius could still be in the castle somewhere, do you?" asked Harry as they crossed the grounds.
"Probably not. I dunno. Where could he possibly be? I wonder if Dumbledore knows he's gone."
"How can he?" asked Hermione.
"How can he not?" challenged Ron.
"Stop bickering. Professor Lupin!" Harry rapped on the door. "Professor!"
The door opened.
"Professor, we want the list of ingredients os we can find Sirius."
Harry peered into the room and saw that there was someone there besides Lupin.
"Er-hello, Professor Snape," said Harry.
The hooknose, sallow skinned, greasy haired potions master, Professor Snape, answered, "Just bringing his medication."
Harry saw the smoking goblet.
Snape stood up, "I'll be leaving. Potter, stay away from my office."
Harry muttered, "Gladly."
Harry sat down at the table and Ron, Hermione, and Renata followed him. "Professor, we need a list of the ingredients for that potion."
"But you won't be able to get them all yourself."
"We'll manage."
"No, you'll never find the powdered hens' teeth on your own. They're extremely rare. I can find you some though." He got some parchment and began to make a list of ingredients, which he reluctantly turned over to the students. "Be careful, and don't get caught. This spell is restricted."
"We won't. Thank you."
"Good luck."
Gratefully, they took the parchment and went back to Gryffindor Tower as quickly as they could. They settled in a corner to read their list.
"This doesn't look too difficult, but I don't believe we can really start until tomorrow," Hermione said. "Some of these things we can get from our basic potions ingredient packs, but others have to come from the student supply cupboard and we can't go there until classes start."
"Well then, I guess we better make the best start we can now. Shouldn't we? We'll get the first ingredients ready here and I suppose tomorrow we can move them to the same place as last time."
"We better not get caught there," said Ron uncomfortably.
"Don't worry, we never really did get caught before, and we'll go in and out under my invisibility cloak."
"Where exactly?" asked Renata.
"We'll tell you later."
"I suggest we get started," announced Hermione.
"You're right."
Hermione ran upstairs for her potions kit. They began preparing ingredients at one of the tables. Holding sharp knives to slice and dice the caterpillar legs and assorted roots and such, no one cared to disturb them. At last they had finished what they could for the time. They used scouring charms to clean the grime out from beneath their nails. Hermione brought down an old cauldron and they swept the ingredients off the table and into it.
"Tomorrow we'll add the other ingredients and let it simmer."
Neville, passing by, came to inquire about what they were doing.
"Oh, this is a new potion I'm working on. Extra credit, you know," beamed Hermione.
When Neville was out of earshot, Ron sniggered. "Nice acting, Hermione. You can lie like a pro now."
"I wouldn't dream of it. I only lied to Neville because I couldn't very well tell him the truth."
At breakfast the next day they received their schedules.
"We start with McGonagall and then-"
"Ugh, we've got Snape today and it's still double with the Slytherins," groaned Ron.
Harry looked disgusted, "The torture continues: Divination."
"Really not a good day for us?" chirped Renata.
"Us? At least you don't have to go hear some batty old witch predict your death."
"Actually, take a look at my schedule and you'll see that you are wrong."
Harry looked at her schedule. "Huh?"
"I switched classes. Some stuff-like mind reading-isn't that bad and I wanted to see how much you two were over exaggerating on how bad the class is," Renata answered.
"Renata, if you're smart you'll transfer out of there like I did," Hermione told her. "By the way, we have to remember to get the rest of those potions ingredients from class today," reminded them as they entered Professor McGonagall's room.
Professor McGonagall stood there, waiting; she did not look pleased. "Settle down." The look in her eyes told them that she wanted immediate silence. "This year we will be doing further studies of human transfiguration; this is extremely difficult and can have horrifying results when not done right so please pay close attention at all times."
She went on to explain the basics and they took page after page of notes before, at last, Professor McGonagall gave them a task. They were told to transfigure the head of the person next to them into a cat. Harry was paired with Ron, Renata was with Seamus, Hermione was paired with Neville, and so the list went on.
Hermione was the only one who fully grasped the concept and was able to perform the spell flawlessly, but she ended up with rabbit ears because of Neville and somehow a dog tail. It took Professor McGonagall a while to sort everyone out (Harry had ended up with an orange beard though they weren't sure how). Renata had laughed and said that orange wasn't his color though she thought the beard suited him, but this interrupted her spell and unfortunately Seamus ended up with horns. It took so long for Professor McGonagall to sort things out that they missed morning break and they were all late for potions.
Snape was extremely nasty, even though they explained it wasn't their fault they were late.
"We had to wait for Professor McGonagall to fix our faces!"
"Well, then you should have been more careful about not messing them up to begin with. Twenty points from Gryffindor for everyone's tardiness."
"But that's not fair!"
"Twenty-five points. Do you wish to make it more? Take out your books!"
The class followed instructions. The Gryffindors were gloomy and the Slytherins were thoroughly enjoying the Gryffindors' misery. Harry anxiously glanced back and forward between Snape and Hermione.
Hermione was taking the remaining ingredients they needed from the student supply cupboard while Harry made a diversion. He had used a banishing charm on Crabbe's cauldron in order to make it crash into Malfoy's. Deliberately causing trouble in Snape's class was like tickling a sleeping dragon, but it was necessary. They had every right to take things from the student supply cupboard, but they didn't want Snape snooping around and asking questions. Unfortunately, Snape had the mess with the cauldrons cleaned up before Hermione was done and now he was glaring at Harry. Though Snape had no way to prove Harry was responsible, Harry was worried because Hermione was going to get caught if something didn't keep Snape's attention diverted. Renata and Ron acted before he did, though.
"Professor Snape, I think there's too much Unicorn hair in Ron's potion."
"There is not!" cried Ron.
"Yes there is."
"No there's not!"
"Yes there is. Professor, don't you think Weasly's potion is too thin?"
Snape came over to inspect the potions. "Yes, Weasly, add an eagle feather."
"I was right!" crowed Renata.
"Delano, yours is too thick. Add another unicorn hair.
By then Hermione had finished and was smiling gratefully at her friends. Harry was glad when class was over.
"You got it all?"
"Yeah. We better bring this stuff back up to Gryffindor Tower. We'll take care of it later but I don't want it all in my pockets," Hermione said.
They all hustled up to Gryffindor tower. Hermione went to the girls' dormitory to put away the ingredients.
Harry turned to Renata and Ron, "That was quick thinking back there."
"Distraction is my middle name," smiled Renata.
Hermione came back down. "All set. Let's go."
They walked down to the Great Hall. "So tonight we can work on the potion. Should we bother with that cloak of yours, Harry?" asked Renata as they sat down to eat.
"It's up to you guys, I guess."
"I'd be fine without it and so would Renata, but you two should probably wear it. Wouldn't want to get in trouble right?" asked Hermione, with a sly grin.
"I guess you're right."
"Where are we going?" asked Renata.
"We'll tell you later."
"All right. So where is the North Tower? I've never been up there."
"It takes forever to get up there," said Ron.
"We should probably leave now, then," Renata said all too cheerfully.
"I don't know why you say it like that," Harry and Hermione said simultaneously.
"Let's go." Hermione walked with them for as far as their paths were the same then she turned for her Arithmacy class.
The other three continued on to the North Tower. Eventually they reached the landing.
Renata looked around. "I don't see anymore stairs."
Harry jabbed his finger into the ceiling above them. A silvery rope ladder descended from the trap door. "After you," he said with mock courtesy, doing a half bow.
Renata grinned and climbed the ladder with ease. Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors followed. The room smelled strongly of perfumes and was stifling hot, with the fireplace burning. A woman with eyes largely magnified by her glasses welcomed them and invited them to settle into the armchairs and poufs arranged around the tables.
"Today we shall return once more to unveiling the mysteries of the future. You," she pointed dramatically to Harry, "will face great difficulties this year, before the year is out you will come to me for counsel."
Harry whispered to Ron, "Fat chance. I don't want to see her any more often than I have to."
Professor Trelawny went on to proclaim that the new student in their midst had a very strong aura. "My dear, you could become great you know, with extra practice. I sense a powerful aura about you."
"Gosh, too bad I don't have any time. Really. Such a pity. Quiditch practice, you know," Renata sardonically replied.
"Yes, I did know that. I wish I weren't right. Class, take out your books and turn to page forty-five. We will be learning how to put ourselves into trances that allow us to see the future. Now if you'll follow along." She led them through the steps that would allow them to be put into trances that would let them see the future.
"Calm yourself. Breathe slowly. When I ring this bell go into your trances. To become fully engrossed in what will be, you must recite the verses on page forty-five, close your eyes and continue chanting them. Don't forget to breathe slowly and deeply. Rotate your neck three times clockwise with one hand on each end of your wand. Ready?" Professor Trelawny rang the little bell on her desk.
Harry felt a little silly but he closed his eyes and chanted with the rest of them. Inside his mind it seemed there was blackness (although that was probably because his eyes were closed) and there was a humming in his head (possibly from the other students chanting). Soon it became clear that this wasn't the case. The humming grew stronger. The blackness cleared until it was simply darkness.
It lightened further still to show four shadowy figures. One was walking away, another lay sprawled on the grass, and the remaining two figures leaned over the one on the grass. The one walking away was going toward some trees. One of the kneeling figures stood up and was following the one walking away; it grew darker again. The darkness became total and the humming grew back into being the sound of voices. When Harry snapped his eyes open once more he was holding his head in pain. Then it was gone, but the questions were not.
"Harry?" muttered Ron.
Harry had shut his eyes again. The scar pain had subsided but he was breathing shallowly.
"Harry?" murmured Renata.
Someone jabbed Harry in the ribs.
Harry looked up and found Professor Trelawny staring back at him. "What did you see?"
"Nothing, Professor," he lied.
"Come now, it must have been something."
"It was-er-Gryffindor winning the Quiditch Cup this year."
"Oh," she looked disappointed and moved on to inquire about what the others saw.
"Harry, what was it?" whispered Ron.
"Nothing. Why'd you jab me in the stomach?"
"Yeah right, Harry. What was it?" asked Renata.
Professor Trelawny was coming back near them.
Harry mouthed, "I'll tell you later."
It seemed to take forever for the rest of the class time to pass but at last they had descended down the rope ladder once more and went out into the hallway.
"So what was it?"
"Not now."
"When then?"
"After dinner."
"After dinner we're all working on something, remember?"
"Fine. When we see Hermione."
"What when you see me?" asked Hermione, coming up to the three of them in the hall.
"Harry's going to tell us why he spaced during Divination," Renata replied.
"I didn't space."
"Yes you did."
"No I didn't."
Hermione sighed, "Will someone at least tell me what happened?" She and the others sat down at the table.
Harry looked to make sure no one but the three of them were listening to him. "Alright, I had a vision."
Renata chuckled, "Wasn't that the point of the assignment?"
"Yeah, but this was strange. Did either of you see anything?"
Ron shook his head.
Renata said, "I can't say that I did."
"I thought so," Harry sighed. "It was hard to tell, it was really dark as though it was nighttime where the vision was taking place. There were people. Four of them. One was walking away. One was on the ground; the other two were leaning over the one on the ground. Then one of them got up and followed the person walking away."
"What did the place look like?"
"I don't know! It was dark, grassy."
"Where were they going? The ones who started walking, that is."
"Toward some trees. Maybe a-a forest!"
"This forest?"
"I don't know!"
"Why not?"
"I just don't!"
Ginny, sitting nearby, heard the outburst from Harry. "What don't you know, Harry?" she asked, shyly.
"Er-"
"He doesn't know our Transfiguration homework. He wasn't paying attention in class. Were you, Harry?" asked Renata.
"No, I wasn't. Stupid of me, huh?" he grinned at Ginny. "I don't know what was running through my mind."
When Ginny's attention was distracted once more they returned to the conversation.
"So, what do you guys think?" he asked anxiously.
"I dunno."
Hermione shook her head.
"I don't know what to make of it."
"Neither do I," sighed Harry. "Let's go."
Inside the common room they sat by the fire. Harry stared into the flames. At last Hermione said, "We should probably work on that extra credit potions assignment, shouldn't we?"
It took a moment for them to remember what she meant. "Huh? Oh, right."
"I'll get the ingredients," volunteered Hermione.
"Harry shouldn't you get your cloak? It might be cold," Ron said.
"Yeah. I guess I should."
Renata turned to Harry and looked at him with a pointed I-need-to-say- something-to-you expression on her face.
"Ron, could you get it for me?"
"But you might want to put it on upstairs."
"Then I'll be up in just a minute. Okay?"
Hermione and Ron went up separate staircases.
Renata spoke softly, "It wasn't just the vision today, was it?"
Harry didn't answer.
"Your scar hurt, didn't it? After the vision."
He spoke quietly, "Yeah.it did. But.how did you know?"
"I'm not sure." She smiled weakly. "It might have something to do with the fact that you grabbed your forehead but somehow I just knew, it's his scar again. I don't know how I knew, but I did. Right before you put your hand on your forehead, I knew."
"Don't say anything to the others. 'Kay?" he said gruffly.
"I won't. Go upstairs, Ron's waiting."
Harry turned and went up the staircase.
"What took so long?" complained an invisible Ron.
"Sorry. I was talking."
"Come on. Get under the cloak."
"I can't." He laughed. "I can't see you!"
"Right." Ron flipped back the hood of the cloak so it appeared that his head was suspended in midair.
"That's creepy, Ron. That's just creepy." Harry joined Ron under the cloak.
Hermione and Renata were waiting downstairs. "We're here," whispered Harry.
Hermione did her best to pass them the cauldron to hide under the cloak.
Renata whispered to Hermione, "Shouldn't we be invisible, too?"
"No, we don't have to be. Just them."
The four of them left Gryffindor Tower and didn't stop until they had reached their destination on the second floor.
"What are we doing here?" asked Renata. "We aren't going to the Chamber again, are we?"
"No. We're just going to use one of the stalls to work in. Come on."
They went inside and Harry and Ron whipped off the cloak quickly. Then, they heard voices. They backed up against the door, fumbling with the knob.
